


Lonely Christmas (or The Jacuzzi Date)

by lunaemoth



Series: December Images Prompts Challenge [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Challenge Response, Christmas, Christmas Music, F/M, Lingerie, Swimming Pools, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-03-01 02:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2756504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunaemoth/pseuds/lunaemoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 11 of fuckyeahdarcylewis.tumblr.com December Challenge. </p><p> </p><p>  <i>Darcy stared at <a href="http://media.tumblr.com/2741100762a636f25aa97fb93eec7baf/tumblr_inline_nfawggFWYk1qbvhdg.jpg">the red lingerie</a> spread on her table and said “Merry Christmas Darcy” with as much cheer as she could muster.</i><br/><i>Offering herself a Christmas gift was sad... pathetic even, she mused. Of course it was that or no gift at all, so the choice was easily made... but that was truly pathetic. She sighed and ate one more chocolate.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Lonely Christmas (or The Jacuzzi Date)

**Author's Note:**

> It takes place in December 2014, compliant with CA:TWS and Thor2. Steve still hasn't found Bucky.  
> This's a bit rushed. I started writing yesterday but it was hackneyed. I finally got _the_ idea a few hours ago, barely enough time to proofread. I hope it doesn't show too much but considering I'm french, you'll probably see some mistakes. Leave me a nice comment with the way to correct it and I'll be happy to edit it.  
>  You can find me on tumblr : http://lunaemoth.tumblr.com/

Darcy stared at [the red lingerie](http://media.tumblr.com/2741100762a636f25aa97fb93eec7baf/tumblr_inline_nfawggFWYk1qbvhdg.jpg) spread on her table and said “Merry Christmas Darcy” with as much cheer as she could muster.

Offering herself a Christmas gift was sad… pathetic even, she mused. Of course it was that or no gift at all, so the choice was easily made… but that was truly pathetic. She sighed and ate one more chocolate.

Pathetic or not, alone or not, she was still better in her apartment than in her father and step-mother’s cramped house, feeling out of place with half-siblings fifteen years younger than her with no sense of humor. No, she had made the right choice. Her father hadn’t insisted anyway, he always sent her a mail to set his mind at rest but he never even bothered to call.

And it was okay because as soon as Thor and Jane came back from their trip in London, they’ll exchange gift and she’ll feel better. She was proud of what she selected for them.

She breathed in deeply and looked around. She had decorated as much as she could and she watched the lights in her tree proudly… for several minutes…

“Oh, for god’s sake, what am I supposed to do when I’m alone at Christmas?! Urgh!”

Obviously, she needed to distract herself. She probably could watch a movie… but she had already done that in the morning, happy to laze in her PJs. She looked around for an idea when the underwear caught her attention.

“Underwear – swimsuit – swimming pool! Oh, yeah ! There won’t be anyone today, all the pool for myself, this’s brilliant!”

Pleased by her solution, she busied herself to prepare her expedition and left for the elevator, bag in hand. There was a private pool on the same level than the Avengers’ gym. She rarely used it because there was often someone in the gym and she wasn’t really fond of swimming in public. This was the perfect occasion.

As predicted, there was no-one in sight. She changed, braided her hair and walked to the far end of the pool, where you could see Manhattan from the bay window. She left her towel on a deckchair and dived in. She swam a bit, played a lot, practiced aquagym clumsily and just floated around on her back, her mind and everything blissfully quiet.

Someone cleared their throat. She flailed around, sinking a little and swallowing water. She raised her head out near the border, feeling particularly pathetic. She didn’t felt better when she recognized Steve Rogers coming forward.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you,” he was saying.

She blushed and pushed her soaked hair away from her face. “It’s okay. Mh… Do you want the pool? I can go, I was just–”

“It’s okay, stay. I’m just going to swim some lengths, I’ll use the other side,” he said, smiling nicely.

Darcy nodded and stuck to the border. She watched him as discreetly as she could. His jump from the diving board was a thing of beauty she had only seen in the Olympic Games’ broadcasts. And when he said ‘some lengths’, it was something like a ‘few dozens’ so fast she could barely keep track of him.

Self-conscious, Darcy didn’t even try to swim after that. She went to the adjacent jacuzzi – who activated when she stepped in, thanks Jarvis – and relaxed in the bubbles, humming pleasantly at the massage on her back.

She opened her eyes when she realized from the noise that Steve was coming closer. He leaned on his elbows against the low wall separating the pool from the Jacuzzi and smiled softly at her.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.” She shifted to give him space and admired the way he moved easily.

“I like the view here,” he admitted after taking place across from her.

“I know right? Taking a bath with direct view on Manhattan and no risk of being seen. Awesome,” she summed up.

There was barely a foot between the Jacuzzi and the window. You could lean on the floor, chin on your hands, and gazed at the view… in fact, that’s what she did. Steve did the same beside her.

“It’s even better at night,” he told her.

“Is it? Jarvis, how much time until nightfall?”

“With this weather, I’d say half an hour, Miss Lewis.”

“Well, I guess I need to stay here until then. Are you staying Steve?”

“If you’ll have me,” he answered bashfully.

“Of course, lonely people on Christmas’ day should stick together!” She winced. What a great way to remind him that he still hadn’t found his best friend and that all his modern friends were celebrating with their families or significant others! She mentally kicked herself and tried to set things right:

“I mean, do you want to come up after? I’ve food and movies if you want.” That was embarrassingly trite... Urgh, she wasn’t usually such a mess in front of men, even the Avengers ones! She had no problem with Barton, Banner or Stark (and Thor was her buddy!). She knew them all, saw them from time to time… and she may or may not have a little crush on Steve Rogers. Who didn’t? It was no reason to embarrass herself constantly in front of him for Thor’s sake!

Steve seemed pleased though. “I’d love to,” he said with a soft smile.

“Great! In the meantime, you know what we need? Music!” She raised her hands to the ceiling. “Jarvis, buddy, help a girl, here.”

“I’d be happy to Miss Lewis, would you like some light effects too?”

“Go for it J! Have fun!”

The white lights of the room slowly dimmed and the ones around the Jacuzzi took a red hue. Frank Sinastra’s _Let it snow!_ came from the loudspeakers embedded in the floor. It gave a cozy Christmas mood to their little space.

Darcy chuckled and looked at Steve. “Isn’t it nice?”

“Better with good company,” he answered with a lopsided smile.

The red lights slowly became green and Darcy laughed, trying to hide the effect Steve’s words had on her. “This is great J, thanks!”

“It’s my pleasure, Miss.”

After a bit of silence, Darcy gathered her courage and asked: “Do you want to talk? About Christmas in the forties, maybe? Or something else? I can tell you about last Christmas, when Thor summoned lightning in the garden, in London…”

She babbled about Thor’s adventures on Midgard and his Christmas’ experience. Steve seemed content to listen, chuckling at the appropriate parts and asking for details.

When she finally stopped to sink a little deeper in the warm water and let the bubbles massaged her feet, he started to talk: “We hadn’t much at Christmas…” And it was her time to listen about the way Steve and Bucky Barnes entertained themselves and gathered enough money for a few treats.

When he clammed up, night had fallen and Mariah Carey’s _All I want for Christmas is you_ sounded out. Darcy couldn’t help but chase the nostalgia by swaying lightly and pointing at the sights she liked the most. But she started to shiver and finally offered him to leave and appreciate the view from her apartment.

He climbed out of the jacuzzi smoothly and she discreetly adjusted her one-piece swimsuit when he had his back turned. He offered her his hands to help her climb out. He lifted her so easily she could have been made of snow.

Band Aid’s _Do they know it’s Christmas time_ was on and she hopped to her towel. She draped it around her and danced a little before hopping again to join Steve. He was smiling at her, amused, and she grinned back. She took his hand in hers and swung them without shame, singing lightly and letting herself enjoy the Christmas mood, now that it was on her.

They split up to change but once in the elevator, _Last Christmas_ from Wham! sounded out and Darcy swayed with a smile. “Your playlist’s great Jarvis! Can you share?”

“Gladly, Miss Lewis. I’ll sent it to your iPod.”

“You’re the best J.” She raised her head and smiled goofily to Steve. “You talked about getting some gingerbread from your neighbor. I made some, you know, human-shaped…”

He seemed bemused but the doors were already opening and she didn’t leave him time to say anything, dragging him by his arm in her apartment.

Her mood crashed when she saw the box of underwear she had left opened on the table. Steve couldn’t miss it and he raised an eyebrow. She blushed and closed the package quickly.

“Does… your boyfriend couldn’t be here with you?” Steve asked carefully.

“Mh… No… I don’t… have a boyfriend. That’s… That’s my gift… to myself…”

“Oh. Treating yourself. Well, you can’t go wrong,” he commented and winked.

She giggled and relaxed. “Yep. At least, it’s the right size.” Disaster averted. Damn, Steve was so nice.

Dinner wasn’t much, but it was home-made, which seemed to mean a lot to Steve. He was really appreciative. She never had so much compliments about some smoked salmon pasta made in a rush. On the contrary, when he tasted the gingerbread men while they lounged on the couch, he was quiet.

“We should give each other some gift,” she decided on a whim.

“You already did,” Steve answered.

“Nah, that totally doesn’t count, feeding a guest is basic good manners, Steve. No, a gift, not necessarily an object but something we do for the other right here and now. Come on, ask me for something,” she demanded, nudging him with her toes.

She was expecting something about food since Steve seemed to obsess over it, but she didn’t expect it when he asked “Can you pose for me? For drawing?”

She blinked and gaped. “You want to draw me?”

“Yes,” he answered immediately.

“Well… Yeah, sure…”

He grinned, delighted, and stood up. “I’m going to grab my notebook and pencil, I’ll be quick.”

Once alone, Darcy thought about it and looked at herself. She was in a Christmas sweater and baggy pants, her hair was a mess because of the pool and she had no make-up at all. Maybe Steve wanted to draw her like that… but that wouldn’t do.

She hadn’t much time so she didn’t bother with make-up but she quickly brushed her hair, making sure it was soft and shining with some light waves. She floundered for an idea about her clothes when her gaze fall on the box she had thrown on her bed sooner. Too much? Definitely. But, well… screw it, she had no time to hesitate. She took the tag off and put them on.

“Darcy?” She heard Steve call.

“Coming!” She rummaged through her closet and grabbed a velvet dressing gown. She slipped it on. With a deep breath, she walked in the living room and said before he could flee: “I hope you don’t mind but I wanted to try my new gift.” He gaped at her. That seemed like the good kind of gaping: ‘she’s gorgeous’ kind rather than ‘what the hell is she thinking’ kind. She hesitated anyway. “Do you want me to change?”

“It’s… fine. Whatever you’re the most comfortable with,” he finally managed to say. She smiled and followed his instructions to lounge as she wished and keep drinking her hot chocolate. He was focusing on his drawing and she listened contently to _All I Want for Christmas Is New Year's Day_ by Hurts.

“Shouldn’t you ask for something too? Your gift?” Steve asked after a while, finally stopping drawing.

“Are you finished? Can I see?”

“Yes, of course. It’s a little rushed but…”

She crawled to him and leaned against him to watch. She blinked. “You’re really good,” she breathed, awed.

“Well… most of it is the model,” he answered modestly but with a little grin.

She smiled back and prayed quickly she wasn’t imagining things. “About my gift…”

“Yes?”

“Can I… get a kiss?”

His smile widened and he cradled her head tenderly to bring their mouth together. She hummed at the soft press of their lips and shifted slightly on his lap, her dressing gown opening a little bit more and showing off her bra.

That night, that’s how she fell asleep: nestled against him, while he drew her again.


End file.
